heros
by previouslyjade
Summary: "...Bello confecto, superavimus. Spero, quocumque nunc sis, quemdam te diciturum esse, ut scias nec virtutem tuum nec mortem sine merito fuisse." Latin translation of "Hero". Oneshot


_Disclaimer: Harrium non possideo, sed mutuor._

_A/N. Well, here it is - a Latin translation of_ Hero_, though frankly I have no idea who is possibly going to read this. A few things: I have provided an English translation down below, but anyone who wants to read a _good _English translation should read the original, which may be found by clicking on my profile. _

_This translation is slightly abridged and modified, as certain English words and phrases are, as far as I could see, untranslateable - to compound my problems, __I don't have a dictionary at the moment and have been forced to rely on Google Translate and my own knowledge of grammar. If you can spot any errors, particularly grammatical ones, I would appreciate it if you could point them out in a review, as I intend to translate more of my stories into Latin and don't want to keep making the same errors._

_One more thing - I don't have access to the Latin translation of Harry Potter at the moment, so my translations of names and magical objects (e.g. the Snitch) are my own. Harry Potter becomes "Harrius Figulus" (Latin for "potter") though I'm pretty sure that in the official translation it remains, simply, "Potter". _

_Sorry for the long rant - on with the story!_

* * *

O Colin, amice mihi,

Bello confecto, superavimus. Spero, quocumque nunc sis, quemdam te diciturum esse, ut scias nec virtutem tuum nec mortem sine merito fuisse.

Credo matrem et patrem tecum esse quoque – ut olim te videant, et heroem cognosceant, precor. Ita cognosces eos – mater pulchrissima erit, pater laetissimus….

Colin, tibi iuro, nec a me, nec populo umquam oblivisceris.

Doleo – non enim unam picturarum tuarum [1] habeo, quamvis iratus eram cum facieras. Sed Dennis unam habebit. Dimitte me meas verbas duras. Non dignus amicitiae tuae eram.

Sed vero splendidissimus eras, et in eo bello ultimo, et prior in Exercitu Dumbledoris, quamvis - O stultus fui! – numquam dixi. Tu, non ego, verus vir. [2]

Numquam, numquam oblivero id horridum diem, cum te positum inter mortuos viderim, tam parvum mortuo, tam fortem. Ex tota caede, perditio tua non minimo me tetigit.

Vagor scribendo; grave enim cura oppressus sum[3]. Bellum confectum; sed non exuviae, tam magna caedes erat! tam acerbae lacrimae familiarum! Tuas ad exuvias hodie ivi.

Spero ut, in regionibus altioribus caeli, manes volet, laetus libertusque. Nunc accipe has verbas lacrimasque meas[4]; gratias et vale.

_Harrius Figulus._

* * *

Salve, Harri[5]!

Scio! Vos omnes splendidissimi fuistis, et maximo gaudui cum audiverim.

Cura tua dulce mihi est[6]; sed non tibi dolendum est. Moriri – non terribilis est, sed iter ultimum et optimum[7]. Id Dumbledore dixit.

Sed rationem tibi scribere habeo – te dicere falsum esse quod cogitas. Non vero scis quare te admiratus sum et undique secutus sum. Nec enim iniquorum tuorum nec virtutium ignarus eram: sed credo virtutes iniquibus maiores esse.

Cum volares, pilulam volentem[8] persecutans, peritiam tuam miratus sum. De regione in quo sum, aspectus etiam melior est! Spero igitur te iterum volaturum esse….

Quid multa? – sed hoc: Desiste te ipsum accusare – credo te dignum esse – dignissimum omnium virum. Te propter, bellum finitum est, et gratias maximas nobis habes.

Ad id diem ubi iterum conveniemus,

Colin

* * *

Colin, my friend,

The war being over, we were victorious. I hope that, wherever you may be now, someone will say [it] to you, that you may know that neither your bravery nor your death was in vain.

I believe that my mother and father are with you also – I pray that one day they will see you, and recognize you as a hero. Thus you will recognize them – my mother will be the most beautiful, my father the most joyful….

Colin, I swear to you, that neither by me, nor by the people, will you ever be forgotten.

I am sorry – I do not have one of your pictures, although I used to be angry when you did them. But Dennis will have one. Forgive me my harsh words. I was not worthy of your friendship.

But you were truly brilliant, Colin, both in that last battle and earlier in the D.A, although – O how stupid I was! – I never said it. You, not I, [were] the true hero.

I will never, never forget that dreadful day when I saw you, placed among the fallen, so small in death[9], [but] so brave. Out of all the slaughter, your loss touched me not the least.

I'm rambling; for I am oppressed with a grave care. The war [is] over; but not the funerals, so great was the carnage! how bitter, the tears of their families! I went to your funeral rites today.

I hope that, in the higher regions of the sky, [your] spirit soars happy and free. Now accept these words and tears of mine – thank you and farewell.

_Harry Potter. _

* * *

Hi Harry!

I know! You were all brilliant, and I rejoiced so much when I heard!

Your care is sweet to me; but you mustn't grieve. To die is not terrible, but the last and best journey. Dumbledore said that.

But I do have a reason for writing to you – to tell you that what you think is wrong. You don't actually know why I admired you and followed you around everywhere. For I was ignorant of neither your faults nor your virtues, but I believe your virtues are greater than your faults.

When you flew, pursuing the Snitch, I admired your skills. From the place where I now am, the view is even better! So I hope that you will fly again….

What more should I say? – but this: Cease to blame yourself – I believe you are worthy, the worthiest of all men. Because of you, the war is over, and you have our greatest thanks.

Until the day when we meet again,

Colin

* * *

_A/N. Well, I hope it wasn't too bad! Review and tell me what you think, and what could be improved - I fear that no-one is going to read this, and reviews would go a long way towards reassuring me! :P Remember to tell me any grammatical errors!_

* * *

_[1] THERE IS NO WORD FOR "PHOTO" IN LATIN ASDFGHJKLZXCVNMQWTY!_

_[2] The double meaning of the word "vir" is quite fascinating - usually "man", but in epic poetry (I think!) "hero"_

_[3] Loosely quoted from the opening of Book 4 of Virgil's _Aeneid. _Go read it - it's awesome!_

_[4] Another quote - I'm not sure where it's from but I _think _it's from one of Catullus' poems, the one where he grieves for his brother. Go read that one too!_

_[5] I hope this is right - I wasn't sure what to do about the vocative case_

_[6] Another Aeneid reference, Book 4 again, taken from the speech where Dido begs Aeneas to stay. It's so beautiful and sad!_

_[7] I'm sure that's a quote from somewhere (other than Dumbledore). Too lazy to look it up though._

_[8] I'm sorry! But "flying little ball" was honestly the best thing I could come up with for "snitch"_

_[9] Adapted from Rowling's own description of Colin: "He was tiny in death"_

_[10] Of course, there was no [10]. Just me wanting to tell you to GO LEARN LATIN NOW. And because 10 is a nice neat number, while 9 is just annoying. (Okay, I'm annoying. I'll stop now)_


End file.
